A Statement of
The Praesidium of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
A Reaffirmation of the Synod's Position on Close(d) Communion
21 August 1996
[Editor's Note: This document was distributed with the 1995 LCMS
Convention Resolution 3-08. A longer document is being prepared.]
We, the members of the Praesidium of The Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod, wish to express our joy in the fellowship the members of
the Synod enjoy with one another in the true faith. We thank God
for this blessing. We treasure the wonderful opportunities God
gives our Synod to reach out to the world with the Gospel,
bearing witness to the truths of God's Word, in a bold confession
of our Lutheran faith. We recognize as part of this opportunity
the responsibility to administer the Sacrament of the Altar in a
faithful manner, being mindful of the need for careful
instruction to those who desire to commune at the Lord's table.
In accord with the Scriptures' and the Confessions' teaching
about the Lord's Supper, and the nature and basis of church
fellowship, our Synod continues to reaffirm the historic,
confessional church practice of close(d) communion.
We are keenly aware that our Synod faces a critical moment in
the history of the Lutheran church in America. Decisions are
being contemplated by other churches to enter into eucharistic
fellowship with one another, without the resolution of the long
standing and critical differences that divide the Reformed and
Lutheran churches. This is a time for our Synod to affirm boldly
the great truths of our Lutheran confession and to offer an
alternative to an increasingly pluralistic and secularized view
of the Christian faith. Rather than being caught up in the times
in which we live, we as a Synod are able to offer a unique and
faithful Lutheran witness to those struggling with questions
about truth and the meaning of what it is to be a Lutheran
church in our world today. Rather than conforming to the spirit
of our age, we have before us the opportunity for faithful
confession and catechesis.
We recognize the pastoral responsibility the church has not
merely to accept minimalistic concessions to ill-defined and un-
examined confessions of the faith, but instead to lead people
into the truth of the Scriptures, so that they may enjoy the
fellowship of the church as it gathers at the altar to receive
her Lord's body and blood in the Sacrament of the Altar.
Because of our great respect for our Synod's fellowship in the
Faith, and because of the opportunities which are presenting
themselves to us to be and remain a strong, confessional
Lutheran church in this country, and a voice for genuine
confessional Lutheranism around the world, we must express our
fraternal concern with the document, "A Declaration of
Eucharistic Understanding and Practice." We regret the fact that
some members of our synodical family have persisted in their
public advocacy of an erroneous position in regard to close(d)
communion. Sadly, they have done this in spite of the fraternal,
pastoral and faithful admonition of our Synod's president, and
of our Synod's district presidents, who have counseled with them
about this situation.
Therefore, we affirm and commend to our Synod, the pastoral
application of the faithful and evangelical resolution adopted
by our Synod in convention last summer reaffirming our Synod's
scriptural position on close(d) communion, Resolution 3-08. We
ask that all members of the Synod, both church workers and
congregations, receive, respect and conform their practice to
this resolution. We, as the Praesidium of The Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod, commit ourselves to its implementation among our
fellowship and support our district presidents as they do the
same. We recognize that it is the responsibility of the district
presidents to maintain the integrity of our fellowship in our
faith as they correct and reprove error in the discharge of the
duties of their office. We offer our fraternal encouragement to
them as they carry out their duty of doctrinal supervision in
this matter.
We pray for God's continued blessing on our Synod. May He keep
us ever steadfast and faithful, for the sake of our stewardship
of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Praesidium of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Adopted August 21, 1996
To Reaffirm the Practice of Close[d] Communion
====================================================
RESOLUTION 3-0
Adopted by The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
July 1995 Convention
Preamble Our teaching and practice of the Lord's Supper begin
with the clear words of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself regarding
His gift in the Supper: "This is My body, given for you." "This
cup is My blood of the new testament, shed for you for the
forgiveness of sins." (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke
22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:17-29). Therefore we believe, teach and
confess that the Lord Himself gives to each communicant His very
body and His true blood in, with and under the forms of bread
and wine for the forgiveness of sins (Real Presence-AC X, XXIV;
Ap XIII, XXIV; SC VI; LC V; FC VII, Ep and SD). This "Real
Presence" is not simply a general presence of Christ in the
Supper, but refers to the fact that Christ's true body and blood
are truly present in the consecrated bread and wine and received
in the mouths of the communicants (1 Cor. 10:16). The presence
of Christ's true body and blood does not depend on the faith of
the recipient nor on the character of the one administering the
Sacrament, but on the Word of Christ Himself, whose last will
and testament the Supper is. By the power of His own Word He
gives His body and blood (FC VII, Ep & SD). Though all
communicants receive the body and blood in the bread and wine,
only those who believe Christ's Word of promise regarding the
Supper receive its benefits, namely, the forgiveness of sins.
"He who believes these words has what they say and declare,
namely, the forgiveness of sins." (SC VI, Tappert, p. 352; See
also AC XIII). In other words, the Lord has provided His Supper
for sinners who believe His promise: "This is my body. This cup
is my blood of the new testament shed for you for the
forgiveness of sins." Accordingly, the Sacrament is more than a
simple assurance of grace. Rather, the body and blood of our
Lord in the bread and wine are gifts by which our Lord Himself
offers, gives and seals to us the forgiveness of sins.
A responsible Lutheran practice surrounding the Lord's Supper
will take into account the fact that the Supper is also an
expression of the oneness of the congregation in Christ and in
His Gospel. "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the
cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26
RSV). One who eats and drinks at an altar confesses what is
taught from that altar (1 Cor. 10:21). Each communicant is
called on to examine himself before God (1 Cor. 11:28), to avoid
creating divisions within the assembly (1 Cor. 11:17ff), and to
hold no malice toward fellow communicants (Matt. 5:23-24). In
addition, those who commune without discerning the body of the
Lord or faith in Christ's promise eat and drink judgment on
themselves (1 Cor. 11:29). They are guilty of profaning, not
bread and wine, but the body and blood of the Lord (1 Cor.
11:27). This is why the Confessions of our church assume a
careful pastoral practice in connection with the Lord's Supper:
"The custom has been retained among us of not administering the
sacrament to those who have not previously been examined and
absolved." (AC XXV, Tappert, p. 61).
Our desire to honor and obey the Word of Christ leads us in our
pastoral practice to reserve the Sacrament for those who share
this desire and confession. Since fellowship at the Lord's Table
is a confession of faith in the Lord's promises professed at our
altar, it would not be truthful for those who affirm Christ's
gift of His body and blood in the bread and wine and those who
deny it to join one another at the table. The last will and
testament of Christ cannot be interpreted in contradictory ways.
Pastors are called by God through the congregation to be
faithful "stewards of the mysteries" (1 Cor. 4: 1-2), that is,
faithfully to administer the Sacrament according to the Lord's
institution. Love also requires that pastors and congregations
keep from the Lord's Table those who by their profession (or
lack of it) show that they could be eating and drinking judgment
upon themselves (1 Cor. 11:27). As part of this practice the
pastor will seek to prevent a profession of confessional unity
in the faith where there is, in fact, disunity and disagreement.
In 1983 the CTCR reminded the Synod that "In keeping with the
principle that the celebration and reception of the Lord's
Supper is a confession of the unity of faith, while at the same
time recognizing that there will be instances when sensitive
pastoral care needs to be exercised, the Synod has established
an official practice requiring that `pastors and congregations
of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, except in situations of
emergency and in special cases of pastoral care, commune
individuals of only those synods which are now in fellowship
with us'" (CTCR, "Theology and Practice of the Lord's Supper,"
p. 22; 1967 Res. 2-19; 1969 Res. 3-18; 1981 Res. 3-01);
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm 1967 Res. 2-19 that "pastors
and congregations of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, except
in situations of emergency and in special cases of pastoral
care, commune individuals of only those synods which are now in
fellowship with us;" and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod reaffirm 1986 Res. 3-08, "that the
pastors and congregations of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
continue to abide by the practice of close communion, which
includes the necessity of exercising responsible pastoral care
in extraordinary situations and circumstances," and beseech one
another in love to remember that "situations of emergency and
special cases of pastoral care" or "extraordinary situations
and circumstances" are, by their nature, relatively rare; and
be it further
Resolved, That the Communion Card statement of the CTCR be
recommended to the member congregations of Synod for guidance:
The Lord's Supper is celebrated at this congregation in the
confession and glad confidence that, as He says, our Lord gives
into our mouths not only bread and wine but His very body and
blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to
strengthen our union with Him and with one another. Our Lord
invites to His table those who trust in His Words, repent of all
sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as He
forgives and loves us, that they may show forth His death until
He comes.
Because those who eat and drink our Lord's body and blood
unworthily do so to their great harm and because Holy Communion
is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar,
any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a
confession differing from that of this congregation and The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and yet desire to receive the
Sacrament, are asked first to speak with the Pastor or an usher.
For further study, see Matt. 5:23ff; 10:32ff; 18:15-35; 26:26-
29; 1 Cor. 11:17-34;
and be it finally
Resolved, That because we are "eager to maintain the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3), any members of the
Synod who advocate a different practice of Holy Communion be
fraternally reminded of the commitment all the members of the
Synod make to one another by subscribing the Constitution of
Synod to honor and uphold its doctrine and practice and, where
there is disagreement, to follow the proper channels of dissent
as outlined in the synodical Bylaws 2.39 c.
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LCMS in ASCII format and edited for Project Wittenberg by Robert E.
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Rev. Robert E. Smith
Walther Library
Concordia Theological Seminary
E-Mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu
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